16 THE HISTORY OF guild, but Witty Eppie had ay the caſting vote in a their courts and controverſes. There happened one day a running horſe to ſtand at one of their doors, and a child going about, the horſe trampled on the child's foot, which cauſed the poor child to cry, the mother came running in a paſſion; crying, A wae be to you for a 'orſe it ere ye was born o' a woman, filthy barbariad bruit it t'ou is, ſetting your muckle iron luſe on my baira's wee-fittie, od ſtir, I'll rive the hair out o' your head, gripping the horſe by the mane and the twa lugs, cuffing his chaſts as if he had been her fellow creature, crying, Be-go-laddie, I'll gar you as good, I'll tak you before Wife Willy the bailie, and he will cut aff your hand wi' de iron luſe, and dan you will be cripple, and gang thro' the kiatry on a barrow, or on twa ſhule-ſtaffs like Ráb the Randy, an a meal-pock about your neck; Her neighbour wife bearing and ſeeing what paſt, cried, A ye fool taupy, what gars you fay that a 'orfe was born o' a woman, do you think dat a 'orfe has a ſadder or a midder like you or me, or oby ither body about a what way do they come to the world dan? A ye fool taupy, divna they whaip like the louſes, ae auld 'orfe hobbles on aa- ither anes back, and dat whalps a young Porfes (illegible text) Goſh woman, it was be ill-far'd to foe a women
